1
A predates B
表示A在时间上先于B。
These fossils predate the dinosaurs.
这些化石早于恐龙。
早于；先于
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
早于；先于
to be earlier in time; to go back further
These fossils predate the dinosaurs.
这些化石早于恐龙。
指在时间上先于另一事物。
将日期提前
To designate a date earlier than the actual one; to move a date, appointment, event, or period of time to an earlier point (contrast "postdate".)
捕食某物
To prey upon something.
先于某事物存在或发生
To exist or to occur before something else; to antedate.
predate
Base
原形
predates
3rd person
第三人称单数
predating
-ing
现在分词
predated
Past
过去式
predated
Past participle
过去分词
The discovery predates the known records.
这一发现早于已知记录。
The fossils predated the dinosaurs.
这些化石早于恐龙。
This custom has predated written history.
这一习俗早于有文字记载的历史。
规则动词，过去式/过去分词加-ed，现在分词加-ing。
This fossil predates the earliest known dinosaurs by about 40 million years.
这块化石比已知最早的恐龙早大约四千万年。
The custom of drinking tea in this region predated the arrival of coffee shops.
这个地区饮茶的传统在咖啡馆出现之前就已存在。
The rock art predating the village's founding has become a local tourist attraction.
早于村庄建成的岩石壁画已成为当地的旅游景点。
表示A在时间上先于B。
These fossils predate the dinosaurs.
这些化石早于恐龙。
用by短语表示具体时间差。
The manuscript predates the printed book by several centuries.
这份手稿比印刷书籍早了几个世纪。
指在文件上填写比实际更早的日期。
The accountant was accused of predating the contract.
这名会计师被指控倒填合同日期。
Not this
This building is predated than that building.
Use this
This building predates that building.
在英语中，'predate'是及物动词，直接接宾语，不能用比较级'than'结构。汉语的'早于'对应的是'predate'的及物用法，而不是形容词比较。
Not this
The artifact predates for 200 years.
Use this
The artifact predates the other by 200 years.
'predate'必须接宾语，表示'A predates B'，且时间跨度用'by'引导，不能用'for'。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
在时间上早于...（多少年/月等）
These fossils predate the dinosaurs by millions of years.
这些化石比恐龙早几百万年。
早于...的发明
The concept of democracy predates the invention of the printing press.
民主的概念早于印刷术的发明。
早于...的到来
Human settlements on this island predate the arrival of Europeans.
这座岛上的人类定居点早于欧洲人的到来。
早于...的发现
The use of herbs predates the discovery of modern medicine.
草药的使用早于现代医学的发现。
早于...的形成
The geological layer predates the formation of the mountain range.
这一地质层早于山脉的形成。
Use predate naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
前缀pre-（之前）+ date（日期）= 日期之前，所以predate意为“早于”或“倒填日期”。
多用于正式或书面语。在表示'早于'时，常见于历史、地质、考古等讨论时间顺序的语境；在表示'倒填日期'时，常用于法律、财务文件中。
及物动词
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY, WORDNET.